


don’t brainwash my boyfriend ever again you booger string

by lilacsandstars



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, BUt yeah death, Crying Keith (Voltron), DON’T WORRY THERES NOT AN ACTUAL DEATH, Fluff, Keith (Voltron) Angst, Keith/Lance (Voltron) Angst, M/M, Mentioned Haggar (Voltron), Near Death Experiences, keith was mind controlled, lance confessed like an idiot and so did keith, lance hates the god/goddess in charge of his life, lance just wanted to bring him back, man we sad today, mega drama, well like death but happy ending so
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-19 10:20:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29624790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilacsandstars/pseuds/lilacsandstars
Summary: Keith was brainwashed by Haggar, and Lance, like the lovesick fool he was, went after him to coax him back to sanity. They had just gotten Keith back! He was returning from the Blade when he was intercepted and taken in by Zarkon’s numpties. Next, Keith was brainwashed and sent to kill the Paladins.What else was Lance supposed to do?i suck at summaries bro
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 41





	1. his favorite pair of eyes

**Author's Note:**

> yeah so this is p sad

Well, for starters, don’t judge him. He had no other choice here, man, and he’s ninety-nine percent sure that anyone else in his shoes wouldn’t either. Even if that anyone else happened to be a seven foot tall demon with forty eyes and claws as long as he was tall, and with a heart as cold as stone, too. He had to do what he was doing. If he didn’t, who would that make him? And what would that make his constant month long soul-crushing pining for?

In his defense, he didn’t think it would be this difficult, and he was a fool in love. It wasn’t supposed to end this badly. But then again, you can’t sword-fight Keith Kogane and expect to win, regardless of your skill. Especially when the guy was currently jacked up on Haggar’s brainwash drugs. 

But, in the end? Lance should’ve known better. He  _ knows _ that, okay?

In hindsight, though? He didn’t regret it not a bit. 

* * *

His lip was covered in a thick layer of sweat, that same sweat creating a thin sheen covering his forehead. His muscles ached so badly with the need to  _ just give up already, Lance, it’s useless.  _ But he couldn’t. He couldn’t. Not when he was in this much danger and hadn’t even made a single difference. 

Keith had him slowly backing toward a corner, which Lance did not like, thank you very much. Glowy-eyed menacing Keith was  _ not _ Lance’s favorite, he was  _ sure  _ of that. Their blades scraped and clanged with such a foul noise that Lance couldn’t keep from wincing at every time they made contact. His Altean Broadsword was doing him well, but it wasn’t like all the power was within the sword. He knew it had to be within himself, but he couldn’t pull any out. 

Not when the only look in Keith’s eyes was pure hatred and the desire to kill. It wasn’t his Keith, and it made him sick. Keith was moving rapidly, his arms whipping around so gracefully and deftly that it looked practiced. Which of course it was, Keith knew how to attack an enemy if he were in danger. He spent a majority of his time in the training room. So Haggar must have been giddy with glee when she found out Keith was an excellent fighter. 

But Keith wasn’t fighting right now. 

_ He was killing.  _

__ Lance saw it. Keith was toying with him right now, he was literally smirking because he knew his opponent was getting more and more scared, more and more tired. Lance wasn’t having this. 

“Really, Keith, you just  _ have  _ to look hot when you’re a fucking psychopath?” Lance groaned. He was only joking to lighten the mood for himself, possibly even kick some sense into Keith, or rile him up enough like he normally did to make him snap back into his senses. Brainwashed-Keith raised a brow and huffed, whipping around in a huge momentum filled circle, his sword hitting Lance’s with a loud  _ Chink!  _ Then the slicing, oh that ugly, piercing slicing noise those blades made. 

“You’re funny,” Keith commented, his voice sounding so hoarse that it was quite obvious he was being pretty much possessed. Lance felt his face fall because Keith wasn’t complimenting him. Keith was acting snakily. Taunting Lance, making him aware that he was humoring Keith. Not a good thing. He was only giving Keith more reason to kill him. Okay, so he needed to shut up then. But  _ no,  _ he couldn’t do that. He had to try. 

Lance pushed with all his might, making a gap large enough for him to spin out of Keith’s corner on him, making the dark-haired boy snarl angrily at the  _ audacity  _ that Lance had to escape his trap.

“God, Keith, I need you to come back,” he sighed. Keith’s posture straightened at that, his eyebrows shooting up, but the expression was gone as quickly as it had come, and he was slumped back forward in an instant. His weight was on the balls of his feet and he was stalking forward slowly, his sword dragging along the ground behind him. The rough, rocky terrain they were on made the sword grind terribly against the rubble, Keith seeming to hum at the sound. Like it was music to him. Which Lance presumed was probably true. 

That devilish smirk on his face was no longer charming, but wicked. His eyes were glowing such a fierce gold that Lance was terrified by that alone. Keith’s Galra marks were even showing, which in any other circumstance, Lance knew he would be so very ashamed. And now, still, Lance only saw the beauty in him. The strength. And although Lance said it all the time jokingly, he really did still mean it now: If Keith slaughtered him he would thank him. 

“As you wish,” Keith ground out, seething through that sickly grin. Lance took in a shaky breath, steadying himself as he braced for impact. Keith lunged, his face now contorted into pure anger and resent. He gave Lance a flurry of rapid blows, Lance barely managing to block them, his brows creased in extensive worry. Lance was breathing so heavily he thought he would pass out before Keith could even manage to kill him. 

Lance finally found the strength he needed in the thought that Keith was going to remain this way, pushing back toward Keith and giving him his own array of counter hits. Keith’s face covered in mild confusion and deepened in even more anger, growling as he tried to block Lance’s sudden hits and give his own. Lance was struggling so badly to keep up that he was leaving himself open so dangerously that Keith would no doubt notice soon. 

Yep. He saw it. Fuck. 

Keith laughed lowly as he eyed the spot, narrowing his eyes as if to say “you absolute dumb mother fucker I’ve got you right where I want you.” Lance sighed, his brows creased in worry again, and begged Keith with his eyes not to do it. But Keith was only a man without any control over his actions at the moment. He managed to get Lance’s bayard flung across the room, grinning at it. He whipped his head back over to Lance, stepping forward and smirking down at him. 

“Right when I got you back,” Lance whispered, mentioning the fact that Keith had _just come back_ from the Blades and was missing. Keith was on his way back from the Blades to help the Paladins when his ship was intercepted by a pack of Zarkon’s numpties, and he was taken in. Haggar had used him like a playtoy, making him a puppet for her to meddle with, and sent him to kill the Paladins of Voltron. When Lance found out? What else was he supposed to do! The love of his life was in danger! 

They had found him. But they didn’t find their Keith. They found Haggar’s puppet Keith. He had been brainwashed. And Lance, oh, Lance was so devastated and heartbroken. So, naturally, he did what any lovesick fool would do. He went after Keith in hopes he could bring him back. 

Keith furrowed his brows angrily and whipped his hand forward. Lance heard the sword impaling him more than he felt it. He gasped, his hands holding Keith’s shoulders to steady himself. Keith’s eyes locked onto his own, searching, hungry, accomplished. Lance frowned and squeezed Keith’s shoulders, his abdomen so numb, and his heartbeat thudding so loudly in his ears he thought he’d go deaf. 

“It was such an honor,” Lance swallowed, his eyes filling with tears, “to know your name. To stand by your side. To be your right hand. To be your f-friend.” Keith’s brows were furrowed with confusion, listening to Lance intently. “But most of all, Keith, it was an honor for me to be able to call you the love of my life.” Lance felt his tears stream freely down his face as he took shaky, shaky breaths. His hand reached down to feel where he was impaled, and he nearly gagged at the damage that he could just  _ feel  _ there. 

And those yellow brainwashed eyes flickered for a moment, turning from an opaque blistering gold to merely a transparent film, his purplish irises glinting through underneath. Lance smiled. So Keith  _ was  _ in there.

That was, until that confused face began to sport huge, crocodile tears. Brainwashed-Keith was apparently oblivious to the waterfalls pouring from each of his eyes, keeping his confused, irritated gaze locked onto Lance. But beneath that veil of yellow there was a sadness that swirled in the barely-there purple pools; filled them. And Lance’s expression darkened so quickly at the realization that Haggar’s vile being had made Keith able to see what he was doing. Was making him suffer by being able to watch Lance die because of his possessed actions. 

But, Lance felt his adoration for Keith swell because Keith was  _ fighting,  _ just like he always should. Just like he always would. 

“Keith.” Long, dragging breath. “I love you.” 

And then the loudest pained screams Lance had ever heard. 

Piercing, wailing, agonized screams erupted from Keith, His eyes straining to stay open, the yellow trying to flicker from barely there to completely gone. Keith was fighting it. The sounds of Keith’s desperate shouts were making Lance’s blood run cold. It was horrifying, to be completely honest. 

Lance picked up his hand, hardly feeling the motion, and rested it firmly on the paler boy’s cheek, stroking his cheekbone with his thumb. Lance had forgotten his hand was covered in his own blood pooling from his abdomen, now smearing blood across Keith's high cheekbones. He couldn’t find it within himself to care. Let the man be selfish, for Pete's sakes, he was  _ dying _ .

“I'm going to miss you,” Lance spoke, his voice so gravelly he hardly recognized it. And Keith broke, those angry screams of agony bringing those swarms of purple back full-force, his bottom lip quivering and those tears free-falling so rapidly Lance couldn’t believe it. 

“No,” Keith choked, broken, hurt, “no, no no no, no,  _ nonononono _ .” Lance reached the hand on Keith's cheek to wrap around the back of his neck, pulling him forward until their foreheads touched. Keith’s voice sounded so hoarse now, like he’d been screaming for hours. It didn’t sound evil anymore. It sounded so sad and so painful. 

“This is not your fault,” barely there, fading, so very slurred, “it is Haggar’s. But just because I know how much you tear yourself down, I forgive you. Keith, I forgive you. I don’t blame you.” Those eyes looked so sad. Lance hated it, he hated it so much it made him want to set the world on fire as one last bang. One last statement before he oh so pitifully died. 

“This isn’t fair,” Keith sobbed, his strong arms now shaking harshly from how upset he was. “You don’t get to do this, this isn’t fair.”

“It’s not like I can stop the bleeding, Ke-”

“I meant for you to tell me you love me and then leave me!” 

“It’s okay, buddy, I’m not upset about it at all.”

“ _ You! You _ upset? Lance, you’re not the only one in love in our relationship here, you can’t leave me like this!”

His heart broke. It shattered. This shouldn’t be allowed. He was half ecstatic and half devastated. Whatever cruel god was allowing this was a fucking asshole, and Lance was excited to die if that meant he’d get to possibly beat the shit out of the fucker that thought this was comedic, or maybe even romantic in any way possible. Because it wasn’t. It really fucking wasn’t, it was just fucking torture. Let Lance burn in hell for eternity, he didn’t care. This was so much worse. 

“You can't do that. That makes it harder to leave.” As Lance said that, they began falling down to the ground, Lance becoming so heavy that they both went down. Lance in a heap in Keith’s arms, gasping horribly from the impact of falling. Keith scrambled Lance into his lap, stroking his hair back away from his sweaty forehead, his eyes still flooding with tears. 

“Then to hell with it, Lance, I'm so in love with you that if you leave me now, I won’t ever know how to live with myself!”

His heart was failing him. It had to be. I mean, of course he was dying right now, but he was in more pain than he’d ever been in his life in that very moment. Each breath may have been harder to take the closer he edged to that brink of death, but hell, his heart was  _ hurting _ . 

“Stop making this so hard for me.” Lance was begging at this point. This wasn’t  _ fair _ . 

“You’re making it way harder on  _ me _ , Lance McClain, don’t you  _ dare _ play that card you little fucker.” Lance tried to laugh, his lungs burning from the attempt. 

“Damn, okay love, that was a little harsh,” Lance tried to joke. Keith pinched Lance’s waist in warning, the boy wincing playfully in response. Keith shook his head, making even more tears fall from Lance’s favorite pair of eyes in the entire universe. 

“Stop it, you’re dying!” Keith was trying so hard to get Lance to stop joking in situations that weren’t funny, but he knew that it was just how Lance was. He realized that now. 

“ _ God,  _ I love you.” Keith whined at that, his face creased so deeply from how upset he was. 

“Stop. Stop doing this to me, please-“

“I love you so much it hurts.”

“Shut the  _ fuck _ up, please  _ stop- _ “

“I’ll love you forever.”

“ _ Lance _ , shut the actual  _ fuck up,  _ I  _ can‘t- _ “

“I wish we had more time.”

“N-no. No, stop.”

“Keith, I'm not gonna make it. Whatever’s going through your head, it’s gotta stop.”

“We’re gonna get you back in time. You’re gonna be just fine. You’re gonna be perfect-“

“Keith-“

“You’re going to be fine! You’ll be laughing in no time, I—“

“Keith-“

“—swear you’ll be good as new! Better than new! And we can work all this out and you’ll be fine and we can be okay and—“

“ _ Keith! _ ”

_ Man,  _ that shout just took a lot out of him. But Keith's hotheaded ass needed to just  _ listen, dammit.  _

“What!”

Oh man, he’s tired. Oh, that’s not good. This isn’t good. He has to tell him,  _ tell him! _

“Keith, I l-love you.” This was  _ so  _ not cash-money of the god in charge of Lance’s life right now. He felt his hearing go in and out, his vision was cloudy and darkening at the edges, and they felt so heavy. God, he’s never been this tired before. He needs a nap. 

“No. Oh god, no, please, no, not now. Hold on, Lance, please, just a little longer!” Keith was frantic. His eyes were blown wide, and his forehead was pressed against Lance’s again. Huh. Lance hadn’t even noticed when they separated. He’s so tired. He needs to go to sleep. Why were they so upset again? Whatever, Lance just has to tell Keith how much he loves him and he’s sorry. For whatever reason. It doesn’t matter. He’s too tired. 

“I’m sorry. ‘M sorry. Love you. ‘M sorry. Always love you.” Talking was so hard, but Keith had to know. Was he even saying any of this out loud? God, he hoped he was. He felt his mouth moving. He really hoped so. Keith  _ had to know, he had to.  _ He knew, didn’t he? Maybe. He should. Whatever, he’s tired. Wait.  _ Wait a second, he’s dying!  _

“No. _No!_ No, _no!_ _Lance! Lance! Say something! Lance please, you ca—”_

And Lance’s world went black. Silent. Peaceful. 

But it was already Hell without Keith. 

* * *

When he fell out of the pod, he was surprised. Then, he was angry. Because of course the god in charge of him would make his hell an eternity of hoping he’s alive and then ripping it away from him. Whoever was to blame for this shit was a total fucktard and Lance hated him. Until a pair of arms wrapped around him, catching him, and he knew it was real. He knew that touch. It couldn’t be replicated by anything else in the world. Not even a god’s handiwork. Lance curled his arms around the body holding him, snuggling into the warmth. 

And the person was clutching him like a lifeline. And long hair tickled his nostrils. And the smell of musk and spicy deodorant that Lance himself had recommended. 

Oh, thank every star in the  _ sky.  _

Lance squeezed Keith as close as possible, nosing his hair and rubbing circles onto his back. And he realized Keith was crying when he felt wetness against his neck. He looked up to see Shiro smiling proudly at them, Pidge’s mouth dropped in shock and glee, Hunk’s cooing was just audible and he was jumping around, and Allura and Coran were smiling so softly Lance felt it in his soul. Lance sent them all a grateful smile and snuggled closer to Keith again. 

“Hey, I’m here,” Lance shushed him. “It’s okay, calm down, breathe.” Keith slowly calmed down as Lance stroked his hair, softly shushing him in his ear. Lance met Shiro’s expectant gaze from across the room, and Lance raised a brow in confusion, but was met with an explanation soon enough. 

“ _ Lance McClain I fucking hate you!”  _ Keith shouted at him. Lance’s eyes widened in shock and his cheeks heated in embarrassment because  _ okay, damn, please stop yelling at me I love you.  _ Keith was shoving him and jabbing his chest and smacking his arms so angrily Lance thought maybe Keith was still brainwashed. “You  _ idiot!  _ Why would you  _ let me turn you into a shish-kebab like that!  _ You  _ knew  _ I was going to do it! You  _ died, Lance!  _ You died! I  _ lost you  _ and it was my fault and—”

Lance kissed him. He couldn’t take it. He slid his hand around the back of Keith’s neck and slammed them together, and kissed him senseless. His other arm snaked around Keith’s waist protectively, and Keith melted at the contact. Their mouths melded together so perfectly that Lance wondered if he hadn’t actually died and went to heaven. But no. This was his Keith. He knew that. 

Lance slowed their movements, kissing apologetically, his thumbs rubbing circles on where his hands were placed, and Keith hummed, his palms holding Lance’s face so delicately, but his fingers constantly searching to make sure he was really there. Lance felt his heart soar with the knowledge that Keith was in his arms, Keith was on his lips, Keith was touching him, Keith was so so so close—Lance couldn’t get enough. Soon, he pulled away. So achingly slowly, and Keith opened his eyes just barely, Lance’s favorite color of deep purple covered halfway with Keith’s eyelids. 

“That was so fucking gross,” Pidge called from off to the side. Keith’s face bloomed red, and Lance snorted a laugh, then winced and held his stomach protectively, the boy across from him paling so quickly Lance worried Keith would get a headache. Keith’s hands went to cover Lance’s own, maneuvering his thumbs so they were massaging his stomach. Lance sighed and appreciatively let his head fall onto Keith’s shoulder. 

“Lance, as much as we enjoy seeing you two finally eloping,” Allura said, and it was Lance’s turn to blush blazing red this time, his eyes widening, “we need to make sure you’re fully healed and assess what your condition is now. You need to eat, as well.” Lance nodded against Keith’s shoulder, scooting closer to Keith’s warmth while the boy continued to massage his sore abdomen. 

“In a minute, Keith has magic hands,” Lance mumbled. Keith huffed a laugh and kissed Lance’s head lovingly. Lance could hear Hunk start cooing again and Shiro’s fond chuckle. 

“We seriously need to, Lance,” Pidge sighed. “This is really endearing, trust me, but it’s necessary. You took a serious blow.” Lance felt Keith tense, and he snuggled closer into Keith’s neck, kissing his pulse. 

Ignoring everyone else, he murmured, “It wasn’t your fault. No one blames you.” Keith deflated, and Lance solidified it with another chaste kiss to his pulse. 

“Fine-e-e-e-e,” he drawled, groaning so loudly that Keith jumped. “Check me, Doc McStuffins.” Keith and Lance wrapped their arms around each other to make sure Lance was supported and walked behind the others to the room they wanted to check Lance in. 

He sat on the examination table and sighed, twiddling his thumbs. Keith stood beside him, keeping him close company while the others stayed at the far wall. It wasn’t far, really, just about six feet away. Coran set up a system in front of them and hooked up a couple of “stickers” to Lance’s temples. The system beeped and pulled up a full-body diagram of Lance’s interior body. Altean Tech was wild. 

“Ah,” Coran began, twirling his mustache in focus, “so, as we can see here, your abdomen is fully healed, number three. Just a small red tint for irritation! It will be quite sore. Although the pods are extremely sufficient in healing, they cannot prevent the soreness an injury will bring. Akin to surgeries!” Pidge stepped forward, hands behind their back. 

“So, like a woman’s post C-section pains,” they grinned. Allura and Coran sported incredibly confused looks.

“What’s a ‘C-section?’” Allura asked. Then, she gasped in shock. “Is it when a woman parts the seas?” Pidge laughed and Lance smiled amusedly. Coran gasped in shock at the Princess’ guess, his eyes comically wide. 

“It’s when a woman has to be cut on her lower stomach to have her baby removed,” Hunk explained. “It can be an emergency procedure, and sometimes, a requested option.” Allura paled and Coran covered his mouth with both palms. 

“That’s  _ barbaric _ ,” Allura spoke lowly. Keith snorted and shook his head to hide his laughing. Lance picked up Keith’s hands and placed them on his lower stomach where the soreness was and nuzzled Keith’s cheek affectionately. 

“Again, please?” Keith hummed and leaned into Lance, rubbing those same soothing circles as Lance circled his arms around Keith’s neck. Lance knew they’d have to have a long talk later, but he was completely content with that if it meant they were still able to be this comfortable around one another even when there was tension. What could he say? He was in love. 

Yeah, whatever god or goddess (because a goddess would be so badass) was in charge of Lance’s life wasn’t so bad after all, were they? 


	2. booger string: conquered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> lance and keith address the issue and love each other even more for it. 
> 
> haggar makes her next appearance.

They were alone in Lance’s room, finally. Lance was beneath Keith; the boy had his ear pressed against Lance’s chest, listening to his heartbeat. Lance found it endearing as well as concerning, making sure to press reassuring kisses to Keith’s head and squeeze him every once in a while, and he consistently stroked the boy’s back and arms. Keith was appreciative of it, considering he was doodling random things (Lance caught him drawing hearts at one point) on Lance’s chest. He could feel the paler boy smiling against him, making him content. 

But not content enough. 

“Keith, we have to talk about it,” Lance said, not needing to specify. Keith sighed and curled into Lance, completely crawling on top of him and hiding his face in the crook of Lance’s neck. “You know we do. I can tell it’s bothering you. I know it is.” Keith didn’t even have to act like it was. Lance just knew it tore him apart on the inside, and he hated that. He loved Keith too much to let him harbor that. 

“I really don’t think I can talk about it, Lance,” Keith mumbled, his fists clenched in the shirt of the boy underneath him. He ran his fingers lovingly through Keith’s hair and peppered kisses onto his temple and down to his cheekbone, then flipped them so he was on top of his boyfriend. Was Keith his boyfriend? Eh, not important now. Keith was fixing him with this shocked gaze, and Lance rolled his eyes. 

“What?” he defended. “You’re all big now and you’re a total stud. As much as I love you being above me I want you to little spoon me!” Keith snorted and shook his head, placing a sweet kiss to Lance’s nose. 

“We’re not even spooning right now,” Keith argued. Lance huffed and curled up onto Keith, making himself small and comfortable. Keith wrapped his arms around him and buried his nose in Lance’s hair, his hands trailing up the back of Lance’s shirt to meet his skin. He needed that contact to ground himself. 

“You know what I meant, jerk,” Lance mumbled. “Cuddle me.” Keith squeezed Lance tighter and let his fingers dance lightly across the smooth expanse of Lance’s shoulder blades. He felt Lance shudder and he smiled to himself. “Thank you. I love you very much. Now talk.” Keith sighed and nuzzled as close to Lance as possible, breathing in his scent.  _ Coconut. Cool.  _

__ “Say that again,” Keith whispered into his hair. Lance melted even further into him, his palm cupping Keith’s cheek. Keith felt his heart flutter and his eyes grow heavy, but he couldn’t tell if it was because of Lance’s action or how tired he was. Likely the latter. 

“What? ‘Now talk?’” Lance asked, and Keith shook his head lightly so as to not disturb Lance. “Then what?” 

“Right before that,” Keith mumbled. Lance smiled softly and stroked Keith’s cheek with his thumb, trailing down his face to drag his bottom lip down and press lightly. 

“I love you,” Lance spoke, his voice as smooth as silk. Keith sighed and kissed the pad of Lance’s thumb affectionately, his fingertips lightly tracing shapes on his back. 

“Look at me,” Keith said, but it came out like a question. Lance sat up, his forearms on either side of Keith’s head, their noses almost touching. “Say it again.” Lance beamed at that and leaned closer, their lips brushing. 

“I love you, Keith,” Lance said, each word causing their lips to brush with an electric sensation, making the ink-haired boy shiver. Lance smiled and kissed Keith languidly, their lips moving in such sync that it should be criminal. They knew one another inside out and upside down already. 

Lance had the inkling feeling that maybe he always did. 

They parted, Keith smiling like a dog who got the bone, and Lance groaned so loudly Keith slapped his hand over the boy’s mouth. Lance narrowed his eyes at him, and Keith winked at him.  _ Oh that smooth mother fucker.  _

“Stop avoiding it!” Lance shouted jokingly, tackling Keith to tickle his sides. Keith bursted into laughter, trying his hardest to push Lance off, and although Keith was strong, Lance grew up in a house full of demons that made him suffer. So when Lance learned how to pin them? He was the Tickle God. 

“L-Lance, please s-stop!” Keith exclaimed, scrambling to get Lance’s hands off of him, but Lance was relentless. 

“Nope! No can do!” Lance laughed at the beautiful boy’s disarray. “This is your payback! Plus you’re way too cute when you’re laughing.” Keith tried to shoot Lance a glare, but it looked more like he was trying to hold in a fart. Lance bursted into laughter and relented, falling onto Keith and cuddling him close. 

Keith wrapped his arms around Lance’s shoulders and tangled their legs together. The braid in his hair that Lance had done earlier was falling out from his tossing around in tickle peril, making him frown and pout. Lance sat up, looking down at Keith and tucking his loose hair behind his ears. He received a smile, and oh, Lance loved that smile. He wouldn’t ever get used to it because it was just that beautiful. 

“I’ll redo it for you.” Lance pecked Keith’s lips once, twice, thrice, then sat him up, maneuvering around him to sit at his back. He picked up the dark strands and untangled them, picking up a brush from his nightstand and brushing through the tangles. Keith hummed, relaxed, and Lance smiled to himself at the action. 

He began looping them around one another, making a dutch braid, and securing it with a hair tie. When Lance finished, Keith turned around with intense eyes, his mouth opening and closing. He wanted to say something. Lance waited patiently. 

“I can’t help but blame myself for...what happened,” Keith spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. Lance frowned sympathetically, letting Keith spill how he felt on his own accord. Lance wouldn't talk, he wouldn’t touch, he wouldn’t physically interact until Keith was finished. Keith worked better that way. 

“And I know that I was brainwashed, but Lance, it was still me. And it’s nightmarish because I could see myself doing it. It was a nightmare I hadn’t ever worried about before because I never thought something like that would happen. Your  _ blood _ was on me.  _ Because  _ of me. That’s not okay with me, Lance. It makes me feel like I’m—like I’m evil. It makes me want to distance myself from you should it ever happen again,” Keith confessed, his voice slightly wobbly and his lip quivering ever so slightly. But Lance noticed. 

“I knew you would think like this,” Lance sighed. Keith frowned, looking away in a self-deprecating way. “Hey, no, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. I’d do the same thing. It’s normal, Keith. But I don’t blame you not one bit. I love you, okay? You. I. Love.  _ You _ . Okay? I mean it,” Lance replied. Keith sighed and twiddled his thumbs anxiously. 

“I love you most,” Keith mumbled, his cheeks aflame. “I just...You should. You should blame me. I almost  _ killed you,  _ Lance. I almost killed you. I  _ did  _ kill you. You were gone.” Lance huffed and tugged his shirt up, standing from the bed and spinning around in circles, showing off the scar proudly. 

“Yes, okay, you impaled me with your mega blade, we get it,” Lance joked with a small smirk. “But I think it makes me look rugged. I look smokin’ with this thing. Keith, babe, seriously. You literally made me look like a  _ rugged cool space ninja sharpshooter.”  _ Keith shook his head, trying to hide the smile growing on his face. Lance grinned and shuffled over to his beloved, cupping Keith’s cheeks in his palms. 

“Stop it!”

“Come on, admit it, I look like a total sexy man with this scar!”

“I am  _ not  _ going to feed your ego like that, Lance.”

“Come on, you know you wanna  _ tou-u-u-u-ch i-i-i-i-t. _ ”

Keith groaned, facepalming, and ran his fingers through his hair to gather himself. Lance smirked evilly.  _ Jackpot.  _

__ “Ke-e-e-e-ith,” Lance sang, causing Keith to look up. Lance’s smirk deepened, and he winked at him in a sultry manner. “Touch me.” Keith yelped and flopped over, hiding his face in a pillow. Lance barked a laugh and sauntered over, flopping onto the blushing mess of a boy, snuggling into the back of his neck. 

“Why would you say that,” Keith said rather than asked, and Lance laughed since it sounded more like “ _ whiwoodjusaethayat _ .” Keith elbowed Lance’s ribs, making the boy laugh even harder. 

“Seriously!” Lance interjected. “I’m serious! Touch it. Or...just...me. Whatever.” Keith seemed to freeze, and Lance waited with bated breath. Keith tapped Lance’s foot with his own, beckoning Lance to get off of him, which the boy obeyed. Keith pushed him down onto the bed, now on top of him again. 

His fingers slowly trailed underneath the front of Lance’s shirt, searching for the scar. Lance watched as Keith practically jumped as he finally reached it, his breath getting caught in his throat. Lance’s stomach tensed at seeing Keith’s reaction, which seemed to make Keith relax from feeling Lance move. 

Keith’s right palm slowly pressed flush to Lance’s new scar on his abdomen, and he let out a slow, shuddering breath. His left hand reached around Lance’s back, the boy raised to aid the motion, and his other palm pressed flat against the scar on Lance’s back as well. Keith stroked the scars, his eyes faraway and his mouth hung open. 

Lance didn’t like that. 

So he reached up and pulled Keith’s lip down again, staring at it almost hungrily. 

Keith also did not like  _ that.  _

So, he did what any other lovesick fool would do and pulled Lance into yet another kiss, this one much more... _ sensual.  _

Now  _ that _ , they  _ both _ liked very much. 

* * *

Lance was laying atop Keith, the two cuddling after their Private Time™, very very cozy, thank you. It was calm and peaceful and loving, and it was the closest to any heaven Lance had ever been. It also seemed the most  _ heavenly _ . 

Until his stupid brain decided to make a lightbulb. 

_ “Keith!” _ Lance suddenly shouted, making the boy in question curse loudly and jump, his arms around Lance tightening. Before Keith could scold him, Lance continued. “Are you my boyfriend? Like, what are we? Because I’m confused but I love you but I’m confused but I still love you.” Keith gave him an incredulous look, but his purple eyes were glinting with mirth. 

“Lance,” Keith began, his voice slow and deep, and Lance was in a  _ trance, damnit.  _ “You most definitely are my boyfriend. If you want th—”

“ _ I WANT THAT!”  _

__ “Okay, okay!” 

“I love you-u-u-u!”

“I love  _ you _ .”

“Okay good. Gonna nap now.”

“Good. Goodnight, Lance.”

“Goodnight, Keith.”

* * *

They were fighting the Galra again. Obviously. And Lance was fighting so hard to ensure Keith had no doubt and didn’t worry for him. Keith was doing well, and Lance was content. He was down on the ground taking out the small groups of sentries that were entering. This base was not abundantly covered, which was surprising. 

Until they saw Haggar herself atop a platform, and  _ oh,  _ Lance was  _ not having that.  _

Keith already knew what Lance was planning, and they shared a look, but Lance paid no attention to what Keith was trying to convey with his eyes. 

Lance pointed his bayard and fired a warning shot on the railing beside her, making her jump and whip her head toward him. Keith shouted after him to make him stop, but Lance wasn’t listening. 

“Hey, witch bitch!” Lance shouted. Keith snorted and hid behind a nearby wall. “Don't brainwash my boyfriend ever again, you booger string!” Pidge cackled so loudly Lance thought it may hurt, and Hunk laughed childishly. Shiro chuckled and covered the lower half of his visor to hide his grin. 

Yeah, they infiltrated the base and blew it up. 

Lance got rewarded for calling Haggar a booger string. 

So, in hindsight, dying was totally worth it. 

  
  



End file.
